Nothing to worry about [Jim/Bones]

[genius_level]

It began as nothing serious. Just a lingering headache and some slight congestion, more annoying than anything else. He ignored it for the first couple of days, telling himself the fatigue was from his long hours, from the nights of fitful sleep, mostly spent awake worrying. Worrying about Bones. Worrying about Spock. Worrying about everything and

Comments

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard wasn't all that concerned when the hours passed and Jim still hadn't arrived to their room. The Science department was now reporting directly to him while Spock remained missing, and security had to be watched even more carefully with their new prisoner in the brig. The man was working himself too hard, Leonard thought with a sigh as he ate dinner alone, finishing a letter to a colleague regarding some research materials Leonard was passing on to her. Maybe she could finish the work.

The call from Geoff was a surprise, yet not. Jim had seemed a little tired that morning, but was up and out the door before Leonard could say anything. At least, that was what Len wanted to tell himself.

Truth was, he was so busy wallowing in his own problems right now that noticing that Jim wasn't well hadn't even crossed his mind. Fucking great partner, he told himself as he hastily threw on his blue uniform shirt and headed toward sickbay. Jim would be better off without him.Stepping quickly through the doors, the nurses who greeted him both

[genius_level]

Arguing with M'Benga had proven every bit as fruitless as arguing with Bones. And truthfully, Jim knew he didn't really have any excuse for letting this go as long as he had. Or at least, not one that made much sense. He had learned to trust M'Benga's judgement when he was treating Bones after the away mission, but irrational or not he had resisted the idea of letting anyone but Bones treat him. Which contradicted his need to not add to Bones' worries. That was impossible, he knew. Because the fact that he was sick was going to worry Bones, and the fact that he'd kept it a secret was going to piss him off

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard could feel Jim's eyes on him, but he didn't look at him, not yet. Too much guilt over missing something so obvious, right under his own fucking nose.

The medical report said it all. Influenza, something that could be taken care of with medication and a day's rest. "You know, in 1918, the Spanish flu killed fifty million people. I don't know what you're thinkin', Jim, trying to ignore this." It wasn't like Leonard was intentionally ridding his guilt by shifting the blame to Jim, except... he was.

[genius_level]

"I wasn't..." He winced, throat still sore despite the medication he'd been given. Jim coughed, then wished he hadn't when that hurt, too. "I wasn't ignoring anything. I'm here, aren't I?" His body ached like he'd been in one hell of a bar fight, and Jim found his jaw clenching in annoyance. He hadn't ignored this shit, and that tone in Bones' voice stung.

"M'Benga said the vaccine didn't work." He had an idea why, but since he wasn't sure he was ready to talk about Blake he kept it to himself. Jim sat up, ready to get out of Sickbay. "Didn't want to worry you."